Improvement in show-cases for coffins



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. L. WOLCOTT.

Show-Case for Coffins. v

No. 219,841. Patented Sept. 23,1879.

PETERS, PHOTO-L THOGRAFNER. w

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. L. WOLGOTT. Show-Case for Coffins.

No. 219,841. Patented Sept. 23,1879.

UNITED STATESPATENT ()FFIGE.

JOHN L. WOLOOTT, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHOW-CASES FOR COFFINS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 219,841, dated September 23, 1879; application filed April 16, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN L. WoLoorr, of Bloomington, in the county of McLean and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cabinet Show- Cases for Coffins and Burial-Gaskets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference bein g made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figurelis a perspective view of myimproved cabinet show-case, with the doors open to display the coffins orburialcaskets mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view when the cabinet is closed. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the cabinet when one of the doors is open and the other closed. Fig. 4 is avertical sectional view of the cabinet when open. Fig. 5is a detail view of the attachment for securing the coffins or burial-caskets to the doors.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in the class of cabinet show-cases especially designed for exhibiting coffins and burial-caskets; and the invention consists in the general construction and combination of parts, all as will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, A represents the frame of my improved case, which resembles somewhat, in its external appearance, when the doors are closed, a long wardrobe, which can be constructed of any desired height and extend any desired distance across a room, it being divided into vertical compartments (by partitions B) sufliciently wide to accommodate one fullsized coffin or casket or several small ones. Said case is provided with a base, 0, having a portion, 0, provided with a cover, 0, projecting forward of the upper portion of the case, the height of the base being about equal to its depth.

D D represent the doors of the case, each of which is provided with an interior extension, E, which extends to nearly the bottom of the base when the door is closed. Said extension can extend to the top of the door, if desired, or be affixed on the lower end thereof.

The doors I) describe a quarter of a circle in opening from the top to the level of the base, and the lower ends of the doors are not hinged to the base, but rest on the projecting portion 0 thereof when either opened or closed.

The extension E of each door is provided with guide-plates or shoes 6, the lower ends of which curve inward and upward toward the back side of the case, all as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

The sides of each of the compartments of the case, near the back thereof, are provided with vertical mortises or grooves b,in which the tenons ff of the boxes F play and to the bottom of each box, at the ends thereof, are secured downwardly-projeetin g plates 9 9, provided near their lower ends with holes g g, in which are journaled the ends of the rollers G, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, so that upon opening the door of either compartment of the case the guide-plates or shoese, affixed to the extension of the door, strike against the roller, and thereby raise it and-the box until the tenons thereof reach the upper end of the mortises or grooves, thus holding the door in a horizontal position, the length of the vertical mortises or grooves being sufiicient to give the box the requisite vertical play desired in opening and closing the door, respectively, to horizontal and vertical positions, thus permitting of the horizontal and vertical positions of the door being attained and maintained by said box, which constitutes a receptacle for temporary weights, whereby the door can be so balanced when a coffin or casket is mounted thereon as to be easily opened and closed without the expenditure of much strength.

Instead of the downwardly-projectin g plates and roller journaled therein I sometimes use a wing-plate, H, suspended from the balancebox F b hinges h, so that asthe door is closed and the balance-box brought to the bot tom of the vertical mortises or grooves the lower edge of said wing-plate is forced for ward by the curved guide or guides h, secured to the sides of the compartments, as shown in Fig. 2, and when the door is opened the curved guide-plates or shoes 0 will strike against said wing-plate and raise itand the balance-box to the upper ends of the vertical mortises or grooves.

The projecting portion 0 of the base, while serving to support the door in both a horizonwg. i

tal and vertical position, also affords suiiicient space to permit of a heavy weight, 1, being so cured to the front side of the lower extension of the door, to assist in balancing it when a .cofin or casket is mounted thereon, all as clearly seen in Figs. 2 and 4.

The doors are easily removed from the case when not loaded with a cofiin or casket, and the lower extensions thereof are cut away sufficiently, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, to correspend with the thickness of the cover 0, and they are also provided with transverse cleats It, to assist in always keeping the doors in place when they are opened or closed.

The cofi'in or casket to be exhibited is suspended from the door in the following manner: Arecess, I, is formed on the insideot' the door, near the top and middle thereof, in the lower portion of which a plate, m, is secured flush with the inner face of the door. This plate is provided with a flaring and curved slot, in, increasingin sizetoward and tothetopof said plate. A singleserew,n,is turned into the bottom of the eoflin orcasket, nearthe headand middle thereof, so that the head of the screw will project slightly downward. The door being in a horizontal position, the eotiin or casket is then placed thereon so that the head of the screw will pass into the upper portion of the recess tblmed in the door. The cotiin or casket is then moved toward the opening of the case, when the shank of the screw passes into the slot m" in the plate 121, while the head of the screw passes under the same. The door being now raised into a vertical position, the eotiin or casket is securely suspended upon the inside thereof, and disappears from sight when the door is closed.

The doors are made to fit tight in the case when closed, and the inside of the case can be lined with any suitable material for the purpose of excluding the dust and light.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

'1. In an upright cabinet show-ease for coftins and caskets, the combination of a base provided with a projecting front portion, a c, and a door resting on said base and opening downward, and provided with a lower extension, E, cut away as shown, having a weight or weights, 5', atfixed to the front side thereof, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

2. In an upright cabinet show-case for coffins and caskets, the combination of a base provided with a projecting front portion, 0 c, and a door resting on said base and opening downward, and provided with a lower extension, E, out away as shown, and having a transverse cleat, Ir, aflixed to the front side thereof, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

3. The combination, in a cabinet show-ease for coflins and caskets, of a door opening downward, having an extension, E, provided with curved guide-plates or shoes 0, and abalance box working in vertical mortises or grooves, and provided with the downwardly" projecting plates having a roller, G, journnled therein, or their equivalent, substantiallyas and for the purpose herein shown and. described.

4. The herein-described cabinet show-case for coflins or caskets, consisting of the case A, provided with a base having a projecting front portion, 0 c, and the vertical mortises or grooves 1), door 1), opening downward and pro videdwith an extension, E, having curved guideplates or shoes 0, and a weight, 1', and cleat k atfixed to the front side thereof, and a balancebox, I", provided with tenons f and downwardly-projectingplatesg,havingaroller, G, journaled therein, or their equivalents, substantially as specified.

JOHN L. WOLUOTT.

Witnesses:

H. L. UoFFEY, W. M. HATCH. 

